ADOT Restricts I-8 to One Lane Near Yuma Port of Entry Overnight
I-8 was reduced to one lane overnight near the Yuma Port of Entry on March 23, with ADOT warning drivers to check traffic updates for potential delays.
Interstate 8 was narrowed to a single lane overnight near the Yuma Port of Entry Sunday night as the Arizona Department of Transportation restricted traffic approaching one of the region's busiest border crossings.
ADOT advised motorists to check traffic updates amid potential delays, though the agency did not specify exact start and end times for the overnight restriction or identify the cause in its initial announcement.
The overnight closure is separate from a multi-day pavement preservation operation ADOT has also scheduled for the same stretch of highway. Under that project, maintenance crews will apply an oil-based sealant along I-8 between mileposts 20 and 29, narrowing the freeway to one lane in both directions during daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 4 through Thursday, Nov. 7. Drivers should anticipate a 5-mile lane restriction as crews progress through the work zone, and the speed limit will be reduced to 65 mph. The sealant application is part of multiple pavement preservation projects ADOT is conducting on highways across the state.
The restrictions come at a corridor that carries significant cross-border freight and passenger traffic. The Luis Land Port of Entry serves US 95, I-8, SR 195, and Mexico Federal Highway 2. Its primary checkpoint includes six general lanes and two SENTRI lanes. A separate 80-acre commercial vehicle checkpoint, constructed five miles east of the original port of entry, is designed to process 150 trucks per day and has the potential to expand to 650 trucks per day by 2030.
The I-8 corridor already contends with recurring congestion near the port. ADOT corridor analysis has identified a low mobility need in the Yuma urbanized area, with contributing factors including the border patrol checkpoint at milepost 18 generating eastbound delays and higher overall traffic volumes. Between mileposts 18 and 21, the freeway's shoulder narrows to accommodate bicycle traffic, further compressing available road space during any lane reduction event.
ADOT recommends drivers plan ahead and monitor traffic conditions before traveling through the area.
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